A Look at the League Races

With the holiday break upon us, the league schedule for Wasaren squads rest’s with many teams playing non-league games this week. While it’s early in the race for the league championship with six weeks of games yet to be played, let’s a take a quick look at how things have gone thus far.

On the girls side a pair of teams in both the Hudson and Battenkill divisions have emerged.

In the Battenkill Cambridge sport’s a perfect 4-0, 5-0 mark in the early going winning by wide margins every time they’ve stepped on the floor. Sophie Phillips (17.0) and Lily Phillips (13.6) lead the potent Indian offense, while defensively Cambridge has held opponents to 27 points per outing.

Hoosic Valley sits at 5-1, 6-1 and has run off four straight wins after dropping their only game to Mechanicville in the first week of December. The Valley lost starter Lauren Paul to injury in the loss to the Red Raiders but have leaned on their ability to guard, allowing teams just 29 points per game.

The two Indian squads will meet in Schaghticoke on the first Friday in January which will tell us more about the hierarchy in the Battenkill division.

With only one league win combined from Waterford, Berlin and Saratoga Catholic it clearly looks like a two-team race in the division.

In the Hudson two squads have also emerged with the Bengals of Tamarac showing the way at 4-0, 6-0. The deep and talented Bengals own wins over Berlin, Hoosick Falls, Stillwater and Mechanicville with a margin of victory of 33 points per contest. Emily Erickson lead’s the attack scoring 19.0 per, for a Tamarac team that averages 64 points per outing.

The Red Raiders of Mechanicville are 3-1, 4-1 a month into the season with impressive wins over Hoosic Valley, Stillwater and Greenwich. Sammy Pasinella lead’s the league in scoring at 20.6 nightly and her backcourt mate Charli Goverski scores it at 14.0 to pace the Raider offense that averages 61 points per outing.

Stillwater and Hoosick Falls both have a pair of league wins, while Greenwich still hunt’s for their first league “W”, but right now Tamarac and Mechanicville are cut above in the division.

On the boys side of the ball it seems things have been slower to take shape especially in the Hudson division.

Hoosick Falls sits at 2-0, 2-2 with wins over Cambridge and Greenwich, both of the 20 point variety. Jon Kempf scores 20.8 a night to lead the high scoring Panthers who average 64 nightly.

Greenwich comes next at 2-1, 4-3, using a 24 point final period to post a come from behind win over Mechanicville, and posting a 35-34 decision over the Valley to account for their two victories.

Tamarac at 1-1, 2-1 owns a win over Berlin, but were blown by 38 by Stillwater.

Those Stillwater Warriors at 1-2, 4-2 dropped league decisions to Mechanicville and Greenwich after opening with three “W’s” in non-league runs.

Mechanicville at 1-2, 2-2 lost close in Cambridge and led Greenwich entering the final period but couldn’t close out the Witches. An experienced and talented roster that I think will have a lot to say about whom will claim top honors in the Hudson division.

In the Battenkill Saratoga Catholic leads the pack with a 3-0, 5-1 mark. The Saints own wins over Stillwater, HV, and Waterford and score well using the long ball effectively connecting on seven per game, fueling a Spa attack that scores 60 points per contest.

Cambridge sees their mark at 3-1, 4-1 besting Mechanicville, Waterford and Berlin in league play. Brendan Holcomb leads the Indians in scoring dropping 19.4 nightly for Cambridge who will host Hoosic Valley on January 5th in a game that will tell us more about this division.

Hoosic Valley, 2-2, 2-2 has notched “W’s” over Waterford and Berlin who are a combined 0-6 in league play thus far, while dropping close decisions to Spa Catholic and Greenwich. John Acker leads the Indians offense scoring 15 points per, for a Hoosic Valley team that defensively limits opponents to 41.0 points nightly.

Berlin and Waterford are still searching for their first league win although all three of Berlins losses have been by 10 points or less.

While we all understand it’s way too early to predict the eventual league champions, one thing we can say is the teams crowned champions in February will have earned that distinction having navigated the gauntlet of the Wasaren.